Senatobia and inform me if he found them in force. I moved the main column through Luxahoma, driving and inferior force south, toward Panola. Colonel McCrillis reported that he found the enemy in force 4 miles from Luxahoma, in a very strong position, in the swamps of Senatobia Creek. I immediately sent him orders to press the enemy slowly, while I pushed around the enemy's right flank to his rear. The road being rough, after marching 6 miles, I found my artillery could not move rapidly. Retaining the sixth Iowa to support ti, I pushed all my cavalry rapidly southwest 6 miles, I found my artillery could not of the enemy had not escaped from COLONEL McCrillis, I pushed the cavalry rapidly toward Senatobia. In the mean time the enemy, after a sharp skirmishes with Colonel McCrillis, had broken and fled rapidly avoiding the movement of my main column, of which they were apprised, retreating toward Helena, and on a road WEST of the main Panola road, leaving 9 killen the swamps about Senatobia Creek. A few moments after reaching the town it was fired on the windward side. With great exertions, a portion of the stores were saved and all the dwelling houses. We were obliged to pull down five stores in order to save the town. Although active inquiries have been made, so far the officers have failed to ascertain the perpetrators, and through both men and officers have failed to ascertain the perpetrators, and though both men and officers of Colonel McCrillis command worked resolutely and cheerfully to extinguish the fire, I am under the impression the buildings were fired by men of his command, or some citizen scouts who happened to be with the brigade at the time. Colonel McCrillis did all in his power to extinguish the fire, and the only buildings lost had been abandoned for months.

Great credit is due to the command of Colonel McCrillis in driving the enemy out of the swamp at Senatobia, a very strong position. Camping that night with my artillery and infantry 2 miles south of the town, I pushed Colonel McCrillis' command south toward Panola, and detachments of the SECOND Iowa Cavalry WEST to the Coldwater, in pursuit of the enemy, who had gone on different roads.

May 24, sent the artillery to Coldwater Station, 10 miles north of Senatobia, with part of the SIXTH Iowa Infantry, using the balance of the command to pick up stock and negroes, most of which has been run out of the country. Colonel McCrillis reported the following day at Coldwater Station. He had driven the detachments of the enemy going south over the Tallahatchee. The detachments sent after the enemy toward Coldwater did not come up with them, and learning they were retreating in small parties, returned, reporting the following day at Coldwater Station, bringing in what stock they could find.

The next day, May 26, broke my command up in detachments, sending one column by the way of Cockrum's Cross-Rods, and near Holly Springs, to La Grange, one by the way of Mount Pleasant, Collierville, and La Grange, one direct to Collierville, and one to Germantown, with orders to scour the country for guerrillas. The weather being hot and dusty, we lost many animals, which I was able to replace, bringing in about 400 mules at the different posts.

The casualties in this count were 5 men wounded. The cattle driven in by the command were turned over to Colonel McCrillis at Hernando

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

EDWARD HATCH,

Colonel SECOND Iowa Volunteer, commanding Brigade.

Captain W. H. MORGAN,

Assistant Adjutant-General, cavalry DIVISION.